UNAIDS - 21 September 2009

The Millennium Villages Project, a partnership between The Earth Institute at Columbia University, Millennium Promise, and UNDP, seeks to end poverty by working in rural areas throughout Africa. The new initiative will use the existing infrastructure, human capacity and technical resources in the villages, to help rapidly expand family- and community-centered heath services with focus on stopping new HIV infections among children.

UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe and Prof. Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute, signed the agreement in the presence of business and African leaders. The ceremony was held under the auspices of President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and President Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal.

"I salute this partnership to help protect mothers and their children from HIV. This initiative will mobilize resources and generate political will to save young lives, leading to a generation of African children born free of HIV," said President Wade.

Also supporting the initiative and participating in the signing event were Dr. Lydia Mungherera, a Ugandan HIV prevention activist representing the organizations HIV+ and TASO; the Executive Director of UNICEF, Ms Anne M. Veneman; H.E. the First Lady of Ethiopia, Ms Azeb Mesfin; the Nigerian Minister of Health, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin; and the South African Minister of Health Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi.

Each day 1,200 children under the age of 15 are infected with HIV; 90% of these infections occur in sub-Saharan Africa. According to Mr. Sidibe, "In all of Western Europe there were fewer than 100 mother-to-child transmissions (MTCT) in 2007, whereas in sub-Saharan Africa, there were more than 370,000."

The top priorities outlined in the memorandum include measures to ensure that women of child bearing age avoid getting infected, those that are infected avoid unwanted pregnancy; increase access to antenatal care services; HIV testing and counselling to expectant mothers; and expanded access to HIV prevention and treatment services for children.

The agreement will bring together the Millennium Village Project's multi-sectoral and science-based development and primary healthcare strategy with UNAIDS' expertise in community and family-centred prevention strategies in order to create 'MTCT-free zones', whose progress will be monitored by both entities.

"We hope that the creation of 'MTCT-free zones' in the Millennium Villages will serve as a model that can be used throughout Africa whereby communities are engaged, men and young people are active partners, and children are born free from HIV," Mr Sidibe said.

In 2007, there were 2 million children under 15 years living with HIV, up from 1.6 million in 2001 and less than 15% in need of treatment were getting it. In sub-Saharan Africa, only a third of pregnant HIV-positive women received the antiretroviral treatment (ART) to prevent transmitting the infection to their infants, compared with nearly 100% in Western Europe.

Operating in 14 sites in 10 sub-Saharan African countries, the Millennium Villages project has been working with local governments to introduce a model primary health system which will cover approximately 500,000 people.

The Villages work on a model primary health system and include education, nutrition and economic development. The primary health systems include; free services at the point of care; trained professional community health workers; a network of adequately staffed primary clinics; access to a mobile communication network and emergency transport services to facilitate referrals; and a local referral hospital to support second-tier care. The system houses a monitoring and evaluation platform that can readily assess the adequacy, uptake and impact of HIV testing and counselling and family centered HIV prevention services.

Resources:

Policy and guidance:

Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV - http://www.unaids.org/en/PolicyAndPractice/Prevention/PMTCT/

Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV - Umbrella policies - http://www.unaids.org/en/KnowledgeCentre/Resources/PolicyGuidance /UmbrellaPolicies/Prev_mother_Umbrella_Policies.asp

Related information:

Children and orphans - http://www.unaids.org/en/PolicyAndPractice/KeyPopulations/ChildAn dOrphans/

Women and girls - http://www.unaids.org/en/PolicyAndPractice/KeyPopulations/WomenGi rls/

Cosponsors:

UNICEF

UNDP

WHO

Partners:

Millennium Villages - http://www.millenniumvillages.org/

Feature stories:

Deputy President of South Africa echoes UNAIDS priorities at international AIDS conference (20 July 2009) - http://www.aegis.org/news/unaids/2009/UN090721.html

Lesotho: HIV free babies bring hope (16 July 2009) - http://www.aegis.org/news/unaids/2009/UN090718.html

Press centre:

UNAIDS/Millennium Villages Project join forces to keep babies free from HIV in Africa (21 September 2009) - http://www.unaids.org/en/KnowledgeCentre/Resources/PressCentre/Pr essReleases/2009/20090921_PR_Millenium_Villages.asp

UNAIDS calls for a virtual elimination of mother to child transmission of HIV by 2015 (21 May 2009) - http://www.unaids.org/en/KnowledgeCentre/Resources/PressCentre/Pr essReleases/2009/20090521_PriorityAreas.asp

Development leaders point to significant progress in mother and child health and reduction of malaria and AIDS deaths in poorest nations (23 September 2008) - http://data.unaids.org/pub/PressRelease/2008/20080923_pr_mdgequit y_en.pdf

Publications:

Prevention of HIV Transmission from Mother to Child (pdf, 222 Kb.) - http://data.unaids.org/Publications/IRC-pub05/mtctreport_en.pdf
090921
UN090916

Copyright © 2009 - Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). All rights reserved. UNAIDS articles, which are not formal publications of UNAIDS, may be freely reviewed, quoted, reproduced or translated, in part or in full, provided the source is acknowledged. The documents may not be sold or used in conjunction with commercial purposes without prior written approval from UNAIDS (contact: UNAIDS Information Centre).

AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, Pacific Life Foundation and donations from users like you.

Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2009. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.

AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.

Copyright ©1980, 2009. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .